


Just Like That

by roundandtalented



Category: Homestuck
Genre: Alternate Universe - Psychics/Psionics, College AU, Discovering Powers, Humanstuck, M/M, Nosebleeds
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-10-17
Updated: 2018-10-17
Packaged: 2019-08-03 17:06:57
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,913
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16330121
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/roundandtalented/pseuds/roundandtalented
Summary: Sollux Captor had been the sassy prick in your basic mathematics class who would fuck around on his phone most of lecture but then still turn in perfect coursework. And at first it annoyed you, because you actually had to struggle to get things completed in time. It was a mandatory class- everyone had to take basic math their first year of college, just to weed out the idiots, right? And until recently, you hadn't really pegged yourself as an idiot.So to prove to yourself that no, you werenotan idiot, and also to make a solid effort at actually passing basic maths, you offered a trade of homework help. Because Sollux might have been godly at anything to do with numbers, but he was absolute shit at world history- the one mandatory class you shared together that you felt was a cakewalk.





	Just Like That

**Author's Note:**

> A fic for [Lightingupthereef's](http://lightingupthereef.tumblr.com/) [PsionicSol AU](http://sillyseadwellersketches.tumblr.com/tagged/psionicsolau) (:

Sollux Captor had been the sassy prick in your basic mathematics class who would fuck around on his phone most of lecture but then still turn in perfect coursework. And at first it annoyed you, because you actually had to struggle to get things completed in time. It was a mandatory class- everyone had to take basic math their first year of college, just to weed out the idiots, right? And until recently, you hadn't really pegged yourself as an idiot.

So to prove to yourself that no, you were _not_ an idiot, and also to make a solid effort at actually passing basic maths, you offered a trade of homework help. Because Sollux might have been godly at anything to do with numbers, but he was absolute shit at world history- the one mandatory class you shared together that you felt was a cakewalk.

Befriending him, despite all the butting of heads you'd done in high-school (over girls, popularity, fashion sense... mostly girls), had not been part of that plan, but came easy to both of you. Turns out you had some shared interests, and actually could make each other laugh even when cramming for tests.

It was kind of becoming a routine that the two of you would select seats next to each other in class. Tuesday's Maths, Wednesday's Core English, and Friday's World History. You'd put stars next to every math issue you had so he could go over them with you later, and he put a strip of highlighter next to shit he wanted you to make entertaining enough to remember later.

Sollux's headaches also started to become a routine. Noticeably so around two weeks before midterms. He'd been getting crankier than usual, blocking you faster on messenger, only to unblock you a few hours later and apologize.

If you didn't see him three plus days a week, you might have not noticed the headaches so much. But he went from occasional head clutching during class to almost daily occurrences of holding his temples or hiding his face in his arms instead of looking up during lecture.

You started becoming a walking pharmacy- because your parents are paying your way through school and residence, but he and Karkat are roommates in a gross basement apartment with 25cent ramen being a staple food. You'd see Sollux hold his head, and slide him a little bottle of painkillers, and within the class he'd be back to normal. Except it didn't stay like that, and there's no way a person could build up an immunity within a couple weeks.

It's during your midterm review that he gets a headache that has him clutching at the corner of the little desk that's attached to the lecture hall chairs. He's already had the daily limit from the bottle you keep in your school bag. You try texting him discreetly under the desk and he can't even seem to focus enough to check the vibrating phone in his pocket- like come on, even _you_ can hear it buzzing against his jeans.

You can't even get him to look at you, check in with you. It's worrying and when the professor turns the lights off so you can watch some short video, you lean over towards him in the darkness.

"Are you okay?" No, obviously he's fucking not. GOD. "You look like you're about to rip your desk apart."

"Migraine." He says through gritted teeth, and you see him wince through the light coming from the projector on the ceiling.

Right before it fizzles and pops above you, and then the whole lecture hall goes dark.  
Someone screams, just for dramatic effect you suppose, but all your classmates begin pulling out their phones to light up the room as if it were a concert. You hear him move before you see it- Sollux grabs his bag and makes a very quick exit while the class seems distracted. At first you're offended he didn't invite you to come with him, but you think about it and no, he probably wants some peace and quiet, and _one of you_ needs to get the notes.

Well. At least he was there long enough to be counted on the attendance record?

 

* * *

 

During midterms, your sense of time gets a little warped. You spend too many nights up past your self assigned bedtime. Too many nights on your third cup of coffee while rewriting notes in different coloured pens. Too many nights going over the French Revolution with Sollux because he just can't seem to remember the important names or dates and you /know/ it's going to be on the midterms.

While he seems to run on caffeine and pure spite, you simply cannot. His headaches come and go, but there are definitely days where you feel less functional than he does. Any of your friends in second year taking electives with you assure you that's just how college works.

College is where you pay money to suffer for roughly four years, just so they can hand you a piece of paper as proof you can handle lowgrade mental torture and minimum sleep.

Unfortunately, with a job not guaranteed afterwards.

Regardless of the bleak future ahead of you, both you and Sollux work your fucking asses off to stay on top of the mountains of homework you get. Readings in English fucking suck, but history is at least interesting enough. The math work might kill you though.

Sollux helps you best he can, usually while face down in his bed and you at his desk with the textbook and your notes. He's been staying pretty medicated, and has been trying to reduce the number of energy drinks consumed daily.

Improvements have been minimal, but he's not too dead to help you not fail basic math. You kind of feel like you're studying Sollux almost as much as you're studying your classes. And it would be alarming if he wasn't your friend, but friends look out for each other, or so you've been told.

And your friend happens to be going through some weird shit.

During your math midterm, Sollux gets one of his more frequently occurring migraines. And while sometimes you've noticed the lights dimming, the professor's coffee mug shattering while Sollux clutches at his temples is a new one.

Flickering lights you can write off on the shitty old buildings on campus- like really, they're paid how many thousands of dollars per student and they can't seem to do a few renovations?

Coffee mugs exploding all over the desk in a silent, very concentrated room? Weird as fuck. The professor can't explain, you can't explain, and Sollux takes another advil, unphased that he's now over the advised limit.

He passes flawlessly, while you scrape by. Hey, Cs get degrees, so what do you care?

You care. You care a lot. Your pride is wounded immensely but whatever. At least there won't be any chance of nearly shitting yourself mid test in your elective the following morning- it's in a different building, with hopefully better wiring and less explosive mugs.

 

* * *

 

By the time finals roll around, you're convinced the campus is haunted.

Sollux tells you to 'stay off /x/', whatever that means. And Karkat, ever the source of help when you're distressed, somehow talks you into marathons Ghost Stories with him instead of studying for your shared elective. In the library study rooms, no less.

You can book these cute little study rooms for free, for a couple hours, so that in theory yourself and other students can have a very fruitful group study session. This does not happen.

The exact opposite of this happens.

Sollux sits playing minecraft on his laptop while you and Karkat laugh at the stupid shenanigans going on in the low budget series that has some television station so mad they're pulling high ratings. It's fun for about the first hour, but Sollux has to put down his laptop due to a headache and you _know_ that means he's going to want to go home. You don't blame him, but it sucks that he has them so often.

He opts to hang out with you and Karkat anyway, head on his arms, half sprawled on the table while you lower the volume but continue watching. Eventually you pack up, but Sollux's headache hasn't lessened, or gotten any worse. It's just there and bothering him.

You offer to go home with the two of them and make diner for them, but Sollux politely declines in favour of 'turning the lights off, unplugging everything, and going the fuck to bed'. Sollux unplugging his desktop is kind of a big thing- he'd leave it on forever if he could. It means he's struggling with that constant headache of his more than you thought.

Getting some sleep before your first of several exams does sound like a good idea though- and you know if you go hang with Karkat, it'll suddenly be 3am and you'll have finished this ghost series.

So home it is. Besides, you'll likely see them both tomorrow, Sollux for your first exam, and Karkat for a second attempt at a study session.

When you see Sollux the next morning, you're well studied and prepared to kick exam ass. You've had your morning coffee, a good breakfast, and are practically radiating confidence.

Sollux looks like he's ready to crawl into a gutter and die.

"I can't get an exam rescheduled because of a headache. Besides, i'd rather just get it over with." He reasons with you, but you know him. His headaches don't allow him to focus on work, they've been plaguing him all semester.

He insists he can last 2 more hours, or however long it takes him to finish writing, and you supposed he knows what he can't handle better than you do. It's his shitty body, after all. The two of you sit down to start the exam, and you regret not studying because even though you _know_ everything on this paper, a refresher maybe would have had you a little less stressed right now. Actually, Sollux looks way more stressed than he ought to...

"Sol?" You whisper to him, knowing you'll likely be in so much shit if you're caught. (they'll think you're cheating, they'll have grounds to expel you, fuck)

He peeks at you, almost pleadingly as he clutches his temples. You're not sure you've ever seen him this distressed by his headaches before- is it because he's worried about failing the exam?

His teeth make a little squeak will how tightly he has them clenched, and it hurts your mouth just to hear it. You want to help, but you can't, you don't know how.

He closes his eyes again and takes a shuddery breath, and then the air around you feels tight. Dry. You feel goose bumps race up your back.

The room stills, goes silent.

It starts at the middle of the class and works its way out- one after one, the fluorescent lights glow brighter, then shatter above you. Thankfully there's plastic casings around them, but all too quickly the room goes dark, leaving the professor's laptop up front as the only light source as everyone around you gasps.

Even the laptop isn't safe.

It emits a warning beep, and then performs the same glow before dying. And it doesn't turn back on.

You pull your phone out immediately, and instead of looking around the room like every other student in your class, you direct the light to Sollux.

He isn't as tense, he actually looks fucking relieved and that's _so weird_. We're the bright lights getting to him? Should you direct your phone away?

A dark bead of blood dribbles down from Sollux's nose as he looks back at you, eyes going wide.

"Fuck."

"What the fuck?" You ask back at him, equally as alarmed as he is. The people around you are being loud enough, distracted enough, that your voices aren't noticeable. Everyone else is too busy freaking out, getting out of their seats as instructed by your professor.

The bead of blood becomes a flood and Sollux has to wad up the bottom of his shirt to catch it as you start collecting both your bags.

The chaos around you provides a discrete escape into the hall and the bathroom, where you shoo his in and wait for the class decisions regarding your exam.

They call it. No exam, everyone can write a paper on a period of their choice instead, which is loads easier and less stressful for you. Sollux is less excited when he returns, toilet paper crammed in his nostrils.

He's at least happy to go home, but his shirt looks like he assisted you in a murder. He grumbles about all the looks he garners as the two of you scoot off campus.

 

* * *

   

You write off all the excuses for weird shit being freak accidents, stress and sleep deprivation a week before Christmas...

Finals are done, projects are all handed in, and both you and Sollux passed your classes well enough that you've earned a day out. Though not everyone celebrates Christmas, you want to have a little holiday get together with your friends and exchange gifts anyways. Sollux has your gift, and you have his gift, but neither of you know what to get Karkat. You figure two heads are better than one, and as a team, you and Sollux hit the local mall to snag some last minute presents for the loudest member of your trio.

It's exciting, full of holiday hustle and bustle, and you're stupid amounts of excited to be out shopping while everything is all trussed up for Christmas. Sollux however, seems less enthused. Crowds of people and Christmas music are two things he's really not a fan of. He has to get a gift, but there are no rules saying he can't bitch the while time, apparently. You suggest to Sollux that he ought to go sit on the Mall Santa's lap and ask for the hugs he never got as a kid for Christmas, and he roasts you mercilessly in return.

He's the hilarious kind of grumpy in public, and it's always fun to rib at each other while passerby's wonder if you're about to throw hands or laugh. Karkat says you argue like a married couple, but that sounds like some heterosexual nonsense to you. Huh, married. HUH, Sollux!

You doubt he'd ever consider you as anything more than a friend, honestly. You've entertained the idea, because he's one of the few people who give you the time of day, be he doesn't seem like someone who'd even be interesting in dating.

Throwing cheese fries at him while he tries to catch them in his mouth in the middle of the food court is entertaining enough anyways.

Most of the day goes pretty well. You get some romance novel trilogy recommended to you by a girl at the mall bookstore, because that sounds right up his alley. Three sappy adventure stories all taking place in the same universe and all connected? Yeah that's Karkat's cup of tea. If he likes it, he'll bully you into reading it too.

It takes Sollux a while longer to pick out some needless 'as seen on TV' cooking device (Karkat's cooking is to die for), and eventually, after two more laps of the mall, he settles on some coding manual book that seems to be half a jab at Karkat's inability do make anything decent, and half him trying to help him. Which is Sollux right down to his core, all in one gift.

Unfortunately, the bookstore is at the opposite end of the mall from where you've parked, so you have to cross the whole length of it all over again. And since misfortune happens most commonly to those not prepared for it, Sollux's recurring headache decides to show up just as you leave the bookstore for the second time that day.

You see him wince, a hand going to his temple, and suddenly the Christmas music and crowds don't seem so cheery. They're bothering him. They're going to make it worse.

"Let's hurry." You say, and when he looks at you, he seems apologetic. Like his headache is ruining your fun day out- and it is! But it's not his fault!

"It's too loud in here." You say it for him, so he doesn't feel he has to, and so he knows you understand.

You're not even halfway through the mall when you know his headache has turned almost migraine, because passing the music store is torture on him. It's so loud, and it's clashing with whatever jingle is playing at the Meet Santa setup they have right before the food court.

Sollux is nearly wheezing as he clutches at his head, the two of you stopped dead centre between the loudest noise sources in the building. Your arms are loaded up with the bags containing your gifts so Sollux's hands are free, so you just stick close to him rather than setting a hand on his shoulder like you want to.

It's probably a good thing you do, because you'd have squeezed the life out of him a moment later.

The sound gets a little much, even for you, now that you're hyper aware of it. Loud and jangly, bells ringing from both sources on noise. And then there are so many lights flashing-  
Christmas lights, signs, displays. They glow bright, brighter... too fucking bright.

You can barely hear Sollux's panicked heavy breathing over the music growing louder, then bursting along with all the little Christmas lights within your sight. Signs fritz out, the music becomes static, and the middle point of the mall goes dark.

Emergency lights flick on around you and you find, amidst the now chaos of screaming families and shoppers around you, you actually are holding Sollux by his sleeve. You start checking him over, because his eyes are wide behind his glasses (yours probably are too), and he's not in pain anymore.

There's blood coming from his nose again.

There's no way this shit isn't related and you feel like you're losing your mind, but instead you're just losing your hold on the shopping bags because books are fucking heavy. You feel the shitty plastic slip from your fingers but when you look to them nothing has hit the floor. The bag is suspended in the air, just below your reach, and when you look back to Sollux, he's watching them with just as much confusion as you are, but a little more concentration.

"What the fuck?" You ask, more at the floating bag than him.

He looks back to you, a steady stream of blood still running down his face from both nostrils, and the books hit the floor in a big thump.

"We gotta get you home." He nods at you, but still looks confused. Likely not as confused as you do when the bag comes back to your hand with neither of you touching it.

You don't mention it. Neither of you says another word as you hurry through the rest of the mall and into the parking lot. You throw the bags in the back and drag out the scrappy blanket you keep in your trunk in case you ever break down somewhere and have to wait in the cold.

Once the two of you are in the front seats, Sollux pulls off his ruined shirt and uses it to hold to his nose. The blanket gets tossed on him and then the two of you just kind of sit there in silence in your frosty car.

"So like..." He starts, sounding all stuffed up because of his nose situation.

"All the things at school were you, right?" You ask him, trying so very hard not to sound accusatory. "The power failures, the lights... the mug?"

"I guess?" He shrugs, a bit defensive. "Not on purpose or anything, if that's what you're implying."

"No, of course not." You set a hand on his knee, then pull it back when you realize that's a little much. You don't want to speak harshly at him, you're just stressed is all. "No one purposely gets headaches and nosebleeds."

"Right." He's still squinting at you a little, like he's not sure he trusts you to believe him.

"But the bags. You did that." Sollux nods and you purse your lips a moment. You both saw that. He definitely had control over that, rather than the way the mug shattered during your lecture. "Have you been able to do anything like that before?"

"Uhhhh..." He dabs at his face gently, checking if his nose is still a fountain of blood. It's slowed now. "Sort of? Moved pencils on my desk once or twice. Turned off a light switches."

Holy shit.

"It's never been anything this controlled though. Picking up bags is new." His shoulders sag and you suppose this is even more alarming of a situation to the person it's actually happening to. He looks so worried, like he's going to get in trouble for admitting he can do something incredible.

"Have you told anyone?" You ask, but remember how much of a hassle it was to get him to see the school nurse office regarding his migraines at all, never mind something like this.

"No. Karkat doesn't even know."

"Okay. Okay." You turn on your car, just to get the heat running because you're cold and stressed and you can at least fix one of those problems immediately. "Maybe... maybe you _shouldn't_ tell anyone you can lift things with.. with your mind, I guess."

"Yeah there's kind of several comics, television series, books and movies that all show that usually doesn't end well." He smiles sheepishly, face still a mess of smeared blood. It's somehow endearing. Fuck, he's not supposed to be cute, that's not allowed.

"I won't say a word about it. Promise." You insist quickly, because if it were you, you'd be scared. But he doesn't look too worried right now, you're the idiot freaking out in the driver's seat while he holds a bloody tshirt in his lap.

"Didn't think you would." He admits it easily to you, and the warmth you feel isn't from the car heater.  
"I trust you."

Oh.  
_Oh no _.__

"I'll help you with this, okay?" You offer, his goofy little smile contagious. As if the two of you didn't just run out of a panicked building, one of you bleeding from the face.

"Like you have been pretty much all semester?"

"Yeah, just like that."

Sollux teases you about fussing over him the past few months, but you know there's thankfulness in there somewhere. It's layered in sass, like everything he says and does, but it's there. When you finally drop him off at his apartment, wrapped in your car blanket and hiding his bundle of gifts under his bloody shirt, he does finally thank you. Just a quick little "thanks, for, you know" before he darts inside.

You sit in his driveway an extra few minutes, head in your hands, because you're not sure what's more terrifying to think about; your best friend kind of has telekinesis, or the idea that you're maybe a little fonder and more protective of him than originally expected.

And you still have three and a half years of this college bullshit to go... fuck.


End file.
